What to expect during worship
We believe worshipping God together as a church is one of the most special privileges we have as followers of Christ, and it is a time meant to not only honor God but to teach and encourage one another. Here is what we try to do (and a little bit of why we worship this way):
Scripture reading:
We are led in the public reading of scripture from the Bible.
"Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of scripture..." -Paul to Timothy (1 Timothy 4:13a ESV)
This helps us to better know and understand God's word.
"All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." -Paul to Timothy (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV)
Prayer:
We are led in prayer together.
"What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also..." -Paul to the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 14:15a ESV)
Prayer is our opportunity to talk to our heavenly Father. It is an honor to present our requests to our Creator.
"But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." -Jesus during His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:6 ESV)
Singing:
We sing songs of worship as a congregation, singing with our voices and our hearts.
"...be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in songs and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart..." -Paul to the Ephesian church (Ephesians 5:18b-19 ESV)
The songs are intended to worship God, encourage one another, and be our sacrifice to God.
"Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of the lips that give thanks to His name." -author to the Hebrews (Hebrews 13:15 NASB)
The Lord’s Supper (Communion):
The Lord's Supper, or communion, is the highlight of our worship. Communion is our opportunity to remember Jesus's sacrifice and His resurrection on our behalf.
"For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.' In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.' For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes." -Paul to the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 11:23-26 NIV)
We take the Lord's Supper each week, and we offer the opportunity in the evening devotional for those who might not have had the opportunity during morning worship to join us.
"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayer." -Luke, recording the events of the earliest church (Acts 2:42 NIV)
Giving an offering:
Because God has given us so much, we offer Him a portion of what He has given to us. This is a form of our own worship as we contribute to the spiritual work of this congregation.
"Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." -Paul to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 9:7 ESV)
If you are visiting, please don't feel obligated to give any money. This is something we do as a congregation. We welcome partners in ministry who desire to contribute to the work of the congregation (which can be done in person, via mail, or online), but it is not a requirement. When we contribute funds to a ministry, we participate in that ministry.
"...it was kind of you to share... No church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only... not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit... a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God." -Paul, thanking the Philippians for their gift (excerpts from Philippians 4:14-18 ESV)
Preaching:
We spend time listening to a message from scripture.
"Until I come, devote yourself to... preaching and to teaching." -Paul to Timothy (1 Timothy 4:13b NIV)
This message helps us better understand God's word and how to apply it to our lives.
"...continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of...[the] Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." -Paul to Timothy (2 Timothy 3:14a, 15b NIV)
What to expect during Bible study
We believe God’s Word to be the ultimate authority in our lives. This means we prioritize time for regular, serious, and intentional study of the Bible. Adopting the loving character of God and His Son, Jesus Christ, comes from being in relationship with Him, and that relationship comes about when we are in the Word regularly, allowing God to communicate with us and changing our hearts in the process.
The objective:
To learn and live the truth of God's word.
We are "truth seekers" and follow no creed or man-made tradition above the truth of God's word. This means we need to know and understand that truth. We take this objective seriously, laying aside our own pre-conceived notions and beliefs to better align ourselves with what we discover in God's word.
The point of study is more than an academic pursuit. While we must accurately understand God's word, it does us no good if we do not live that word each day in our lives.
Our ultimate goal is to adopt the lessons learned in the Bible into how we act, think, believe, and view the world. Ultimately, our goal is simple: take the heart and mind of Jesus into our own hearts and minds.
In other words, we strive to be: Simply Christians.
The environment:
Bible studies are safe learning environments. While our ultimate goal is to understand the truth of God's word, we recognize this is a learning journey. We recognize different people are at different points in that learning journey, and all are welcome to join and participate in the study.
When you join our Bible study classes, you will find a welcoming, safe environment. We encourage discussion, participation, questions, and comments. We all draw good insights and (sometimes) wrong insights when we are learning. This is okay, and it is a safe environment to do that as we help one another grow. No one is ridiculed or looked down upon for participation... In fact, we encourage it!
While we hold deep reverence for God's word and the sanctity of its truth, we strive for a laid-back learning environment where everyone is welcome, and we all share the same objective.
The study:
We believe the Bible is God's inspired word (c.f. 2 Timothy 3:16), and it is our focus when we come together to study. If the God of the universe wants us to know Him, He will communicate to us (and we believe He has and continues to do so through the Bible).
We encourage everyone who joins us to bring a Bible to study. If you don't have a Bible, we have extras! We also try to put Bible verses on the screen to assist in the learning process.
services
services
Bible class:
Sundays at 9:30am
Wednesdays at 7:00pm
Worship:
Sundays at 10:30am
Evening devotional (Communion available):
Sundays at 6:00pm
FAQs
Am I welcome?
Absolutely, yes! Everyone is welcome to join us for worship, Bible study classes, individual Bible studies, group studies, fellowship, and fun events. We encourage you to come check us out... and bring a friend, too!
What should I wear?
Worship attire: Wear what is most comfortable for you. When you join us for worship, you will see a wide range of clothing. Some people might be wearing their favorite team jersey while others might wear a suit and tie. There is no dress code. We just want you to be comfortable while also seeking to honor God.
Bible study attire: Our Bible studies and classes are very relaxed and super casual. Wear what you might wear to go downtown shopping or enjoy a movie with some friends.
Can I bring my children?
Children are a blessing from the Lord (Psalm 127:3) and are most welcome! You will see children from newborn infants, to toddlers, to school-age kiddos, to teenagers who about to leave home. All are always welcome, and we have many learning opportunities available, which are tailored to their unique needs.
We also have special Bible classes for young children during our Sunday morning Bible class at 9:30am.
We even have a nursery available that allows your children a safe space to explore while still being able to hear (and see!) singing and worship.
The sounds of children are a welcome blessing, and we encourage you to bring your whole family!
I am just visiting. What do I need to know?
Welcome! We are a small community, and it’s likely we will immediately recognize a new face. You will be greeted by one of our friendly members and welcomed with open arms. We would love it if you filled out a visitor's card (the green cards in the pews), so we can keep in touch with you post-visit. Simply fill out the card, and drop it in the offering plate. We are so thankful we get to spend time with you!
Bible study happens at 9:30am on Sundays and worship happens on Sundays at 10:30am and 6pm. We also have a Bible study on Wednesdays at 7:00pm. Everyone is welcome!
I want to learn more. Do you have any resources to share that would help me in my faith walk?
Fantastic! We encourage everyone to ask questions, whether about our congregation, the Bible, or anything else. Our walk to know Jesus is lifelong, and we commend you for taking steps to learn more! We have created a resource page listing various online (free!) tools to help you in your walk with Christ. If you have any other questions, please feel free to reach out to us via email at estesparkchurch@gmail.com or call us at 970.586.4793. We will do our best to get your questions answered (we are only human and certainly don’t have all the answers!). Please know that we are on this walk together, and we’d love to support you how we can.